Claim to fame: It seems that Valorie Ness, 39, was destined to be a personal trainer. What was an interest and a hobby as a child—she grew up doing aerobics in the basement of her childhood home, and playing soccer and basketball during high school—became a passion and profession as she worked toward degrees in food and nutrition and athletic coaching at Minnesota State University. An athlete in her own right who competes primarily in triathlons and running races, Valorie is now a Master Trainer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and holds personal training certifications through ACE, the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Through her business, Catalyst Fitness in Atlanta, Ga., Valorie doesn’t just work with individual athletes and clients looking to get fit or to regain mobility, she trains other trainers to do the same But it’s something deeper that drives Valorie’s commitment to fitness, a commitment that earned her Personal Fitness Professional’s Trainer of the Year for 2013. It’s what Valorie calls her “personality quirk” of being a problem-solver devoted to helping others achieve their goals and be at their best. “This career offers a unique position to make a difference in peoples lives,” she says. “I am able to touch so many lives on a daily and weekly basis with my one-on-one clients and on a much larger scale when I am educating other personal trainers at conferences and workshops.”

Philosophy: "To give my best, I must be at my best.” Exercise is a gift I can give myself and in turn those around me.

Vitamins/supplements: I do my best to eat a clean and balanced diet, and as a way to ensure all of my vitamin and mineral requirements are met, I to do take a basic multivitamin, calcium with potassium, vitamin D-3, fish oil, and folic acid.